Paul Burke

John Horton

John Horton and the enduring power of art direction

John Horton – the art director’s art director – died last week.

Image from a 1980s Volvo estate ad

With the Volvo estate being phased out of the UK market, a look back at some classic ads

Now being replaced by the ubiquitous SUV, the Volvo estate was once Middle England's beloved car of choice.

GettyImages

The invasion of nonsense

Despite technology giving agencies more time than ever, the most frequent complaint is that there is never enough time.

Getty Images pic - pencil and notepad

Agencies have neglected the word 'copywriter'

Adland needs to reclaim the term because it has been cheapened and debased.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sitting on a sofa with a microphone and papers in front of them

The secrets behind making voice sessions work in radio ads

When recording voice sessions, even with royalty, there are some rules to follow to ensure a pitch-perfect performance.

Getty Images - image of director's board

Production companies are being forced to 'fatten up' scripts

There's a crisis in TV production: too much time, energy and money is being spent on writing treatments to flesh out advertising scripts.

Paul Burke on adland's 'talent crunch'

Some home truths on the ad industry's 'talent crunch'

Why the current dearth of talent in adland is less a crunch than it is a crisis.

Whatever happened to the charity ad?

Creative director Paul Burke reflects on the decline in charity advertising he says has corresponded with a rise in purpose-led brand ads.

What DJs can teach us about advertising and consumer behaviour

Clubs will be reopening soon and when they do, try getting a side hustle as a DJ. You’ll learn a lot.

We don't need 'creatives', we need copywriters and art directors

People calling themselves 'creative' has led to their work being anything but.

Kind, decent and fun: a tribute to Dave Buchanan

The sad passing of creative director Dave Buchanan, whose career spanned Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, BMP and TBWA, serves to remind us of the importance of friendship in the ad industry.

This creative reckons account management is the most important department

Account handlers are smart, well-informed sounding boards for any creative idea, Paul Burke argues.

Keep calm and stay tuned

Radio will never lock you down...

Has writing in advertising turned B&AD?

D&AD no longer considers 'writing' its own category...

Bring back the rock star creative

Advertising has always thrived on their talents...

Did adland bosses talk red but vote blue?

Despite its protestations to the contrary, the top of the ad industry may have helped Boris Johnson land his majority.

An ode to Greater London House

Looking back on the historic advertising building...

Angell Sound's demise is a blow to the ad industry's creative heart

Angell Sound, one of London's oldest audio post-production and music production studios, has gone into administration, and there's one trend heavily to blame.

Freelance at 50: a response

A freelance creative responds to Madeleine Morris' piece on what to do if you're made redundant as an older creative.

The UK's most influential radio DJs

Chris Evans' new breakfast show on Virgin Radio is poised to revive the primacy of the DJ. Paul Burke looks back on the most influential ones who came before him.